As expected, Tiger Woods committed Wednesday to play in next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at Bay Hill.

Woods, a six-time champion, will be joined by defending champion Ernie Els, as well as reigning Masters champ Phil Mickelson and Graeme McDowell, who won the U.S. Open in 2010. Mickelson won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 1997.

Woods won at Bay Hill the last two times he played, in 2008 and 2009. He needs two more victories here to match Sam Snead’s PGA TOUR record of eight wins in the same tournament, accomplished in Greensboro from 1938 to 1965.